Madurai: Madras high court has sought a response from the state govt on a plea seeking a direction to the authorities to appoint six BT assistants for a student strength of 150 or below in schools under the adi dravidar and tribal welfare department.
A division bench of Justice C V Karthikeyan and Justice was hearing a public interest litigation filed by members of the adi dravidar and tribal welfare department and teacher warden federation based in Madurai district.
The petitioners stated that there are 108 high schools, 98 higher secondary schools and 99 middle schools under the adi dravidar welfare department. There is a shortage of BT assistants for classes 6 to 10 in these schools. There are five BT assistants for a student strength of 150 or below. There has been a huge shortage of teachers due to which they are unable to provide quality education to the students.
In 2025, the joint director of the school education department issued proceedings to the effect that for every school from Class 6 to 10, where the number of students is below 150, there must be six BT assistants. The student-teacher ratio is also fixed. Though the schools under the department are on the same pedestal, the said procedure was not extended.
The petitioners stated that the director of of the adi dravdiar department, by proceedings issued in June, fixed the BT assistant strength as five irrespective of the number of students available in each of the schools. The same is arbitrary and illegal. Challenging the proceedings, the petitioners moved court.
